The present invention relates to image display apparatuses and methods and, more particularly, to an ultra thin image display apparatus and an image display method for the apparatus.
Recent television sets have tended to increase in screen size. The increase in screen size leads to the requirement of a space larger than the screen size. In the case of a television set with a screen size over, e.g., 32 inches, its horizontal effective display area is longer than 70 cm. The larger the screen size of a television set is, the heavier the weight thereof is. The weight of a liquid-crystal, plasma, or rear-projection television set is lighter than that of a CRT television set. However, the weight of a lighter television set is about several tens of kilograms.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-196975 discloses an image display apparatus, such as a head mounted display. In the head mounted display, a virtual-image optical system displays an image. Accordingly, an actual display unit can be miniaturized. A small image displayed in the miniaturized display unit is enlarged, thus realizing a large screen.